Monty Harper here. I'm a songwriter, performer and recording artist with more than twenty years of professional experience. I write songs for and with kids, songs about scientific research, and songs for clients. I teach songwriting and I perform for schools, libraries, and festivals in Oklahoma and often elsewhere around the country. This blog is where you'll find photos, songs, video, and announcements related to my latest projects. Enjoy!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Lisa and I drove to Duncan today for our second-to-last summer program! Time sure does indeed well and truly move quickly along an aerial trajectory when you're having fun.

As you can see below, we set up in the middle of the library and packed in quite a crowd. Lots of great fans in Duncan!

Our last "Sing-Along Slumber Party" program is next Saturday, August 4 at 10:30 in Bella Vista, AR. In the meantime we'll be working on school bookings for the coming semester, so let us know if there's a school near you where you think I should perform. Thanks!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Lisa, Evalyn, and I look forward every summer to our day at the Norman Public Library - we always have a great time. Yesterday both shows went fantastically well, and we got to eat at Ted's in between, so what more could we ask for?

Sunday, July 22, 2012

We had a great time in Arkansas this past week! I did six library performances and Lisa, Evalyn and I spent two days in a cabin for some quality family time. Many thanks to the Crawford County Library System for booking the tour - we had a great time and hope to make regular visits in the future!

West Fork, AR on Monday.

We stayed at this cabin, called Ledgecreek Hideaway, and we loved it!!!

Tuesday morning, Lisa and I discussed bookings strategies on the front porch of the cabin while Lisa took some wildlife photos. Here's a little chipmunk that was foraging for seeds nearby.

Golden Finch

Evalyn

Tuesday afternoon, Evalyn and I went fishing for trout at a trout farm; they cooked up our catch at the restaurant across the street!

We had quite a discussion about what kind of critter this might be, hiding in a gap in the rocky hill next to the restaurant. Turns out he's a woodchuck, A.K.A. groundhog.

Lisa and Evalyn fixing dinner in the cabin Wednesday evening.

Thursday morning at the Mulberry Library.

Thursday afternoon after the Alma performance. These are all the kids from my audience! Plus Evalyn, two stuffed canines and Perry the Pillowpus.

Grey Wolf gets a guitar lesson.

Thursday afternoon at Mountainburg.

Friday morning at the Van Buren Library - they have a fantastic new building!

Pop Up!

Me with the librarians at Van Buren! They had as much fun as the kids - maybe more!

Friday afternoon at Cedarville, in another brand new building. All the wooden beams in the high ceilings reminded us of our cabin.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Today I did two last-minute shows at the library in Edmond. They were in a pickle due to a scheduling mishap and luckily I was available to help out. It was nice to visit Edmond again - it had been too long! We had two very lively audiences with many very young kids, and we had a lot of fun, as you can see..

We just got back from vacation with my family late Sunday night, and are still recovering. I prepared for this morning's show last night. I went down the checklist and everything. So where was my head? I got to the library in Ponca City this morning, brought in the sound system, set everything up, turned to grab my guitar - no guitar!

This was the first time in twenty plus years of performing that I neglected to bring my guitar to a library gig!! I was (and still am) completely embarrassed!

Luckily there was also a mix-up on the starting time for the show. Some of the advertising said 10:00 AM, and some of it said 11:00 AM. This actually allowed us to start an hour later, so I headed for the local music store while back at home Lisa called around looking for a car to borrow.

Lisa was already heading out to Ponca City with my guitar when I called to let her know that I was able to rent one. The good folks at Shanghai Music and Sound did me a huge favor and rented me a guitar for the day even though they don't usually rent out instruments.

Posing for a photo before the show.

The program went really well, and the few groups who showed at 10:00 came back for the 11:00 starting time. My afternoon songwriting workshop with a small but enthusiastic group of teens also went really well. So it was all good in the end!